"D" the Ranter is Colorado's #1 Multi-sport MLBlogger. The Rant is written from a fan's perspective and you can count on "D" to tell you exactly how it is. Tried and Tested…There's a reason the Rant kicks ass in Colorado.

Results tagged ‘ First home run ball ’

Today was all about relaxing, watching some baseball and maybe snagg’n a ball or two. Hunter and Mylee spend Friday-Sunday visiting grandma and grandpa and they had a blast cruising all over the desert in their grandpa’s tricked out Jeep Rubicon.

Today was their chance to see some baseball before catching our flight back to Denver at 6:50.

There were a few fans standing in line as we approached the centerfield gates but I could tell there would be a lot less people in attendance today. The weather was perfect. It was just shy of 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.

As soon as the extremely friendly Ushers let us inside we headed for the left field berm. I learned my lesson from Saturday and was avoiding the right field berm. It took a little over thirty minutes but eventually the Rockies wandered out, started warming up and began to take some swings.

While Hunter and I were standing on the berm a guy who works for the Rockies (I think) walked up to Hunter and I and asked me how old Hunter was. I told him twelve. He said that was too bad. I asked “why”.

He said he was going to ask if Hunter wanted to be the Rockies bat boy for the game.

I was floored, Hunter was in shock. Unfortunately you had to be fourteen. He said come back in two years and I told him I’d hold him to it. As bummed as I was that Hunter couldn’t do it I was really impressed that he came over and asked us…Thank you Sir that was extremely cool.

With us today was Krista’s sister Angie who lives in Arizona. If you’re in Arizona and are looking to adopt a small dog please check out her website.

Now in this video the ball has been hit, I’m planted with my glove in the air mere seconds from snagg’n my first clean catch at Salt River Fields.

Out of nowhere the D-Backs dude in Red (who already had snagged three at that point) totally rips this one from me.

Then the dude said he was sorry and kept mentioning how this was his first batting practice ever. I seriously doubt that but he wasn’t the worse.

At this point I was beginning to get a bit frustrated.

Of all the missed opportunities today for some reason this next one got to me the most. In this video I’m tracking the ball perfect. I put my glove up to catch it and the older dude with black jacket, shorts, white knee brace and black hat with a red brim puts his glove up next to mine and knocks the ball away.

Guess who winds up with the ball?

The same D-backs guy who already had snagg’d three or four and kept saying this was his first batting practice. I was starting to sense a tag-team thing going on.

Dan…The dude in the above video is the “Overly Eager Grandpa” I was telling you to watch out for.

I’ll never understand why people do that. First off it’s dangerous. If you knock a ball away chances are that diverted ball could hit one of us in the face. Secondly, it’s just plain rude.

Here’s an excited Hunter after getting his third ball, a toss up from an unknown player. He’s a stud.

In this last video you can’t see it but this ball was the last ball hit during BP. It wasn’t a homer but it was close.

So close I leaned over the rail and the ball landed smack in the center of my glove and bounced out. Matt Belisle chuckled at me, picked up that ball and tossed it back to the bucket.

I just had to smile. I was too dehydrated to cry.

That was it for BP…I didn’t snag any baseballs on the fly and the only ball BP ball I got was a toss up from this player.

Anyone who can identify him please let me know. No it’s not Cole Garner.

I thanked him big-time as players don’t toss me a lot of baseballs.

Danny came over to the left field berm and visited with me for a while.Danny was excited because he happened to snag a game rubbed Inaugural ball earlier and he was kind enough to let me photograph it.

Thanks for coming over and chatt’n Danny. It was good to see you and I’ll see you again on April 1st brotha.

I wanted one of those baseballs bad. Robert’s still down in Scottsdale and Dan, Emily and Mike will all be heading down soon, so between those fellas somebody will hook me up with one.

I headed over to the Rockies dugout as that’s kind of my routine. Here are some random shots.

I didn’t take any action shots today as I was just chill’n on the berm drinking a beer I purchased from a happily employed Captain Earthman.

Earthman thanked me for the blog entry for I did for him a few weeks back. Today was amazing. Not only did I spent quality time with my wife, kids and sister-in-law. I was able to relax, enjoy the warm weather and soak in the Rockies baseball taking place in front of me that I’ve been longing for all winter long

I mentioned to Krista that I never wanted to leave.

But we did have to leave, right around the 8th inning so we could be sure and catch our flight. Rockies get their second win over the D-Backs in as many games with a final score of 6-5.

I love it here in Arizona, and when Mylee finishes school this Ranter and his wife will officially be Snowbirds. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a gambler but for me batting practice is like being in a casino.

I don’t mind going home empty handed as long as I get some “play” while I’m there.

Today….I got me some “play” and I couldn’t be more excited for the Rockies home opener on April 1st.

This Stadium is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to…Rockies and D-Backs fans, you’ll be proud when you strut around this complex. I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and this concludes my Spring Training 2011 trip. The plan is to spend ten days in Scottsdale next year.

I’m thinking a Rantic Baseball Getaway? Mull it over, I’m giving you plenty of time :)

If your looking for live pictures from the games, the Salt River Fields practice facility and other teams facilities Dan and Emily will be heading to Scottsdale in a few days. When they arrive Dan will be posting pictures on he and Emily’s FACEBOOK page daily.

Maryvale Baseball Park where the Brewers do their spring training is the nicest baseball park I’ve seen this trip. The concessions are actually cheaper than anywhere else, and the outfield has grass that is perfect for snagging baseballs.

The gates opened 1 1/2 hours early and we were there early as usual. No big surprises going through the gates. The Ushers were friendly and informative. With me today were Andy and my father-in-law Joe.

The crowd today was a little over 2000 and most people sat around home plate leaving the outfield unpopulated. Upon entering the stadium I immediately headed for the beautiful grassy outfield.As I was fast-walking (running to hear Andy tell it), over to the outfield I saw two BP homers get smacked over to left field. I debated going over there, but for a change I decided I’d give the right side of the field a try. A wise move on my part, but I didn’t know that yet.

It wasn’t five minutes and I found myself chasing after two BP homers in a row. Neither of which I was able to catch. I slightly misjudged both and they sailed over my head by mere inches.

Both of my BP homers were snagged by teenagers standing directly above me in the grass. Both were great catches.

The first baseball I snagged was tossed to me by Dexter Fowler. Thank you Dexter, I didn’t even ask him for it.

The next three baseballs that came to right/center field were mine. I was able to snag two of them after they had bounced in the grass and were rolling.

My last BP homer I caught on the fly which is how I prefer to snag them :)

Total batting practice tally = 4 baseballs.

Here are a few pictures of this really cool stadium. Check out the baseball dents in the side of the building.

Funny, Arizona is in the desert but every now and then something gets beached.

Here’s a shot of right field. This is where we chose to sit in the grass. Check out the view.

I did something today I’ve never done before. I was snaggin in bare feet. I had already slipped a few times with my sandals as the incline is a little steep. I removed them and the grass was cool and soft and gave a solid grip in bare feet.

I witnessed the sausage race, something I’ve always wanted to see live. Happy Youngster, you may be a tad burned out on watching the race, but seeing it the first time was cool as hell.

Cheering for the oversize sausages had me wishing Hunter and Mylee were with me.

Here’s a view of the first base line.

I was able to walk right up to the visitor’s dugout and snap pictures.

The visitors bullpen.

Here’s Scott Podsednik and Ryan Spilborgh’s before the game.

Check out the scoreboard. Don’t quote me, but I believe this lead was the only Rockies lead in the first seven games of spring training. One of my goals was to Get Clint Hurdle to sign my Sports Illustrated 1978 issue with him on the cover. Andy and I had met up with Clint and Don Baylor outside Hi Corbett a few mornings ago and Clint told me he would sign later for me.

This was my last opportunity to snag Clint’s autograph during my vacation. I noticed Clint walking over to the outfield and when he was about 50 feet away I yelled “Clint you said the other morning that you would sign my magazine, do you have time now?He immediatly walked over and autographed it for me. I had my opportunity to mention to Clint how much I enjoyed my time at Hi-Corbett how friendly he and all the Rockies have been to us. He said he was glad and they he/they were fond of Hi Corbett too.

It will be interesting to see what happens next season. I’ll talk about the positives and negatives of that move in a future entry. Thank you Clint, you kept your word and that means everything.

So are you thinking that the Hurdle autograph on the Sports Illustrated was my holy grail?

Not even close, in the sixth inning I happened to be looking in another direction when I heard a loud crack. Just then my father-in-law Joe said “there’s one” I looked left and up, and spotted the baseball.

In nanoseconds I was up and off like a bat out of hell jumping over and clearing two dudes who were laying out. Then I ran down the hill past a lady who also was going for the home run ball and I scooped the ball up as I was sliding down the hill on the grass.

I have the grass burn to prove it and Andy and Joe as witnesses :)

I also hyper-extended my right arm as I slid down but it was worth it.

Injuries heal, I’ll be buried with that baseball.

2009 is mine.

Here it is folks, my first live home run ball hit by Daniel Ortmeier in the sixth inning at Maryvale Baseball Park.

This was Daniel’s first live home run as a Rockie. I’m proud it was this Rockie fan who snagged it. I’m also glad that my first live home run ball was from a Rockie, but in all honesty I wouldn’t have been choosy.

Guess what else happened at the bottom of the eighth inning?

Trot Nixon of the Brewers hit a right field homer and I missed it by inches. The ball bounced on the outfield wall edge, then bounced on the sidewalk and then landed in a bush three feet outside the ballpark fence.

Andy found a stick to try and poke it loose but it wouldn’t reach. Just then a couple were walking by and Andy took a chance and asked the guy if he would hand him the ball. The guy did and Andy snagged his first live home run ball. All I can say is what a vacation. I did everything I wanted to do and then some.

I was able to see four Rockies home games, and this road game against the Brewers. Right now the Rockies are 0-5 for the games I’ve watched and 0-7 for the season.

The final score of this Rockies/Brewers game was Brewers 8, Rockies 6….Dammit

GUESS WHAT?

On Monday at the Rockies game I saw that some of the players were out signing so I walked over to the Rockies dugout. I saw an open spot and I squeezed into it. Once positioned I looked to my left and standing right beside me was Baby Paul and his dad Mark. I knew they were supposed to be at this game but up until that moment I hadn’t seen them.

Mark and I chatted and snagged a few autographs. I don’t know Mark that well but I can tell he’s a good guy. I was able to meet Marks’s wife and I believe it was Mark’s mother and father.

Super nice people and I was floored to find out that his mom is a regular reader of the Rant.Baby Paul was a little bit grumpy when I met him but it was blistering hot that day and I didn’t blame him. Everyone was sunburnt, it was hot even for Tucson.

Just before we rolled out of Tucson I had met Baby Paul and family outside and they posed for a picture in front of the Mobile Blog Unit. How freggin cool is that?

I also got a phone call from Robert Harmon telling me he was arriving in Tucson with a VW bus running on 3 cylinders just as I was about an hour north of Tucson headed for Phoenix.

Thanks Mark, it was a pleasure to run into you again and an honor to meet your family.That’s a wrap from the Rockpile Ranter’s Mobile Blog Unit and our Rockies Spring Training adventures. I will be writing a final spring training recap and I will be updating Rockpile Ranter’s Picture Blog over the next week with pictures and video that I haven’t used in my spring training blog entries.

Realizing there is only so much time in a day, and that a blogger can’t possibly cover everything. Do you have any suggestions as to what I could have done better?

Or what about things I should have our shouldn’t have done?

I love feedback and would REALLY value your opinions.

This was the best vacation of my life. I just want to mention that 99% of the Rockies were extremely kind to us and getting to meet Todd Helton and watching him autograph my bat and World Series baseball meant more to me than I can really put in words. Let me just say, he is as cool in person as you would think he would be.Right now the Rockpile Rant is the # 1 Rockies snagging blog in the world :) This blog has really taken a life of it’s own and matured into something that is fun and that I’m really proud of.

My thanks to all of you for taking a few minutes of your time to see the world through my eyes.

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